


Unfamiliar Intimacy

by kimbleefucker (hihowareya)



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: M/M, The softest kimblee can probably get tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 05:09:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15879192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hihowareya/pseuds/kimbleefucker
Summary: To reach out and touch someone without the expectation of feigned intimacy or sure destruction was something that had become unfamiliar to him, enough that he almost expected Kimblee would burn to ash and crumble under his fingers and he'd be left alone to cleanup the mess of his remains.





	Unfamiliar Intimacy

**Author's Note:**

> This was written on my phone at work sorry for sloppiness

When Roy awoke that night, covered in sweat and mind racing, he instantly reached off the bedroll to clumsily grab for his pocket watch to check the time, only to find it wasn't there.

Of course it wasn't. This wasn't his tent, this wasn't his bed, and he wasn't alone.

He laid on his back and stared up at the black of the ceiling, hidden in shadows and indistinguishable from the walls, and breathed steadily to quell his pounding heart. He had nightmares every night, it didn't matter. He would wake up and check the time, sometimes fall back asleep. Usually he couldn't and he would pace anxiously until he heard the bell sound to usher him to the barracks for some semblance of breakfast. He'd sit with Hughes and Hawkeye, and they would try to keep the conversation light. Armstrong used to join them too, before he was sent home.

But that wasn't the case tonight, because Roy was a guest in another's quarters. His eyes started to adjust to the dark and he turned his head to look at the back of the man asleep next to him. In this position, Kimblee's frame appeared even more slight than usual and Roy recalled the events of a few hours prior and sighed; he really should stop doing this.

This was only the fourth time he'd fallen asleep here, and only the second time Kimblee had let him stay, choosing instead to just sleep next to him rather than give him an hour of rest then wake him up to send him back. He considered the brief amount of time Kimblee did let him sleep there to be the Crimson Lotus alchemist's way of showing kindness and he was appreciative of that. He had to admit though, there was some comfort in waking up and not being alone. 

He reached out to touch Kimblee's back and expected him to reach out and grab his wrist, he was always curiously aware of his surroundings, but instead Roy's hand tangled slightly in Kimblee's untied hair. He rested his fingers in it a moment then pulled back hesitantly, snaking his hand down slowly to rest on the smaller man's hip lightly. To reach out and touch someone without the expectation of feigned intimacy or sure destruction was something that had become unfamiliar to him, enough that he almost expected Kimblee would burn to ash and crumble under his fingers and he'd be left alone to cleanup the mess of his remains. 

The urge to hold him with compassion bubbled in Roy's mind and he debated it for a long while, or what felt like a long while. Time had become a bit meaningless now. If Kimblee responded to that by assuming Roy was trying to kill him and frantically pressing the arrays on his palms against Roy and blowing him to pieces, it might be a better end than the ways Roy had thought up himself (which usually involved polishing off a bottle and unclasping his government provided pistol). He weighed the possibilities in his mind and decided he would take the gamble and wrapped his arm around Kimblee's waist instead, moving in closer to him until his back was pressed flush against Roy's chest. Even through the sleeveless undershirts that separated their skin, Roy could feel the warmth radiating from Solf's body in a way his personality never quite seemed capable of imitating.

There was no recoil or response, no reaction. Kimblee didn't instinctively whip around to attack him, so Roy chanced another move of intimacy and pressed his face against him as well, the lower half of his face buried into the dark tresses in front of him. He inhaled deeply and breathed in the scent of smoke and ash and military standard shampoo, and exhaled. Nothing and no one here smelled truly clean anymore.

They stayed that way for a while, Roy relished the feeling of another person against him, alive and breathing and in assumedly no danger of slipping away at any given moment. No risk of his heart stopping and leaving Roy alone here. It was strangely comforting and Roy found himself drifting back to sleep not long after. 

Hours later he woke up and his arms were empty, and he thought it felt appropriate for the circumstances. He shifted slightly and out of the corner of his eye saw Kimblee adjusting his uniform, ready to leave. He seemed to notice Roy stirring and reached into his pocket and pulled out his own silver watch and clicked it open, studied it for a moment then closed it and returned it to his pocket. 

"There's about an hour left until the first bell. You're welcome to stay here if you want- but don't let anyone catch you when you leave. I don't feel like explaining that to anyone today." He considered the taupe jacket for a moment then set it back down with his belongings. "And make sure to close the latch on your way out." He tied his hair back and silently left Roy there, alone. He had expected to be swiftly evicted, but being allowed to stay was true to Kimblee's brand of compassion; diminutive but notable. 

Roy couldn't fall back asleep, but he did enjoy laying in a bed that smelled like someone other than himself until the dreaded bell sounded, demanding that he get to work.


End file.
